Ordnance.



W. D. SMITH.

OBDNANGE APPLICATION rum) no. 2, 1910. nnnnwnn ms. 7, 1913.

1,073,299. I Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

p I y lr //W COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 50.7..wnsumu'l'tm. D. c

TTE STATES PATENT VIILLIAM 1). SMITH, OF W'ASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASsIGNoR TO V]. D. SMITH ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, FENNSYLVANIA, A GOBPGRATION OF DELAWARE.

ORDINANCE.

Patented Sept. 16, 1913.

Application filed December 2, 1910, Serial No. 595,320. Renewed February '7, 1913. Serial No. 746,925.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ordnance, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ordnance of the breech loading type which are provided with the usual mushroom head.

The object of my invention is to provide the spindle of the mushroom head with suitably arranged ducts to permit fluid pressure to enter the gun between the mushroomhead and the gas check or pad to flush and cool the gun.

Another object of my invention is to so arrange the ports for admitting fluid pressure from a suitable pressure chamber to the ducts so that pressure will not be admitted to said ducts until after the outlet from the ducts has passed beyond the pad and thereby preventing the entrance of fluid pressure between the breech block and the pad.

Still a further object of my invention is to so arrange the inlet ports to said ducts that they will be open to the atmosphere when the mushroomhead is in its retracted or firing position, thereby avoiding all danger of fluid pressure entering the breech of the gun from the pressure chamber. This arrangement of inlet ports also permits the escape of all pressure to the atmosphere from the ducts and between the pad and mushroom-head when the mushroom-head is inits retracted position.

The precise nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, which will now be described, it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention,

as defined in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a portion of the breech of the gun, showing the parts in the position they occupy when the gun is to be fired. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the parts in position to flush the gun. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line TITTII of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line IVTV, of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the numeral 2 designates the breech of the gun.

3 designates the breech block having a screw threaded engagement with the breech of the gun, and 4 is a carrier sleeve on which the breech block is mounted and is arranged to support it when it is removed from the breech of the gun.

5 is the mushroom-head having a spindle 6 extending through the breech block and the carrier sleeve, and 7 is a portion of the firing mechanism connected to the end thereof.

Formed along the periphery of the spindle are the ducts 8, and 9 is a sleeve rigidly mounted on the spindle. 10 and 11 are ports extending through the sleeve and in communication with the ends of the ducts. Connected to the sleeve 9 and located within the carrier sleeve at is a piston 12. Mounted on the sleeve 9, within the carrier sleeve and in front of the piston 12 is a ring 13 which is keyed to the sleeve 9, but will permit the sleeve to reciprocate therethrough with the spindle of the mushroom-head.

The ring 13 is connected to the carrier sleeve by means of a projection 14 extending into a groove 15 in the carrier sleeve. These various connections are arranged to prevent rotation of the mushroom-head with relation to the carrier sleeve, but will leave the mushroom-head and its piston free for reciprocation.

Surrounding the spindle of the mushroom head and abutting against the piston 12 and the ring 13 is a spring 16 which is arranged to hold the mushroom head in its retracted position.

17 is a pressure chamber within the carrier sleeve, and in the rear of the piston 12.

18 is a cylinder head surrounding the sleeve 9 having a screw threaded engagement with the carrier sleeve. Leading into the pressure chamber 17 is a fluid pressure supply pipe 19 which is connected to any suitable source of pressure supply, and is provided with any suitable valve to admit pressure to the chamber.

is a packing ring surrounding the piston 12, and 21 are packing rings within the cylinder head and are arranged to form a tight oint between an extension 22 from the piston and the cylinder head, and between sleeve 9 and the cylinder head.

The forward portion of the cylinder head has been recessed as indicated at 23 to receive the extension 22 on the piston to form a tortuous passage to prevent leakage from escape of the pressure fluid.

The operation is as follows: After the gun has been fired pressure is admitted into the pressure chamber 17, which will advance the mushroom head through the medium of the piston 12, until the boss of the piston engages the ring 13, and as soon as the ports 10 enter the pressure chamber, fluid pres sure will be admitted to the breech of the gun through the ports 10, ducts 8, and ports 11, to flush the gun, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and as soon as the pressure has been out off from the chamber 17, the various parts will'be returned to the position shown in Fig. 1, by means of the spring 16. The breech block can now be removed to reload the gun.

I have shown and described fluid pressure actuated means for advancing the mushroom' head, but I do not limit myself to this form of mushroom head advancing mechanism, as this may be accomplished in various ways.

The advantages of my invention result from the provision of pressure inlet ports communicating with the ducts leading through the spindle of the mushroom head arranged in such a manner that fluid pressure will not be admitted to the ducts until the mushroom head has been advanced and the outlet ports have passed beyond the pad, and thereby prevent fluid pressure entering between the breech block and the pad. A further advantage results from the provision of means whereby the inlet ports are open to the atmosphere until the mushroom head has been advanced a predetermined position, thereby preventing any leakage of pressure from the pressure chamber to the breech of the gun.

I claim 1. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head having a spindle provided with a fluid duct, there being an inlet and outlet port communicating with the duct, a pressure chamber, means for moving the mushroom head having a spindle chamber, a piston on said chamber, a spring ring keyed to a groove in the wall of said chamber, a projection on said ring having an engagement 1 with the groove in wall of the chamber, a 1 packing ring on the piston, and 1 on the ring within the groove, said packing ring being arranged to form a tight joint head and the spindle, and means to supply fluid pressure to said chamber, the ports be ing so arranged that pressure will not be ad mitted to the inlet port until after he mushroom head has been advanced a predetermined distance; substantially as described.

2. In a gun flushing device, a mus iroom head having a spindle provided with fluid ducts, there being an inlet and an outlet port communicating with each duct, a pre sure chamber, means to supply fluid pressure to said chamber, and means to advance the mushroom head, the ports being so arranged that the inlet port will be open to the atmosphere until after the mushroom head has been advanced a predetermined distance, substantially as described.

3. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head having a spindle provided with fluid ducts, there being an inlet and an outlet port communicating with each duct, a pressure chamber, means to supply fluid pressure to said chamber, and a piston arranged to be acted upon by the pressure in said chamber to advance the mushroom head, the ports being so arranged that the inlet port will be open to the atmosphere until after the mushroom iead has been advanced a predetermined distance, substantially as described.

at. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head having a spindle, said spindle having a plurality of fluid ducts along its periphcry, and a sleeve mounted on said spindle arranged to form a portion of the wall of each duct, there being an inlet and an outlet port 1 through the sleeve for each duct, substanf tially as described.

5. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom extending into a spindle within the said spindle,

a projection between the piston and the walls of the chamber, substantially as described.

6. In a gun flushing device, a breech block, a carrier sleeve for the breech block, a'mushroom'head having a spindle extending into a chamber within the carrier sleeve there being a groove in the wall of said chamber, a piston on said stem within the chamber, a spring ring keyedto said spindle, a projection on said ring having anengagement with the groove in wall of the chamber, a packing ring on the piston, and a projection on the ring with-in the groove, said packing ring being arranged to form a tight joint between the piston and' the walls of the chamber, substantially as described.

7. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head having a spindle provided with fluid ducts for flushing the gun, a pressure chamber in the breech of the gun, and a cylinder head surrounding the stem and forming one Wall of the pressure chamber, there being an inlet port and an outlet port for each duct, the inlet ports being beyond the cylinder head and Without the pressure chamber When the mushroom head is in its retracted position, substantially as described.

8. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head having spindle provided With fluid ducts for flushing the gun, a pressure chamber in the breech of the gun, a cylinder head surrounding the stem and forming one Wall of the pressure chamber, there being an inlet port and an outlet port for each duct, the inlet ports being beyond the cylinder head and Without the pressure chamber when the mushroom head is in its retracted position, and means to advance the mushroom head to open communication between the inlet ports and the pressure chamber to flush the gun, substantially as described.

9. In a gun flushing device, a mushroom head, a fluid inlet port arranged to be opened and closed by the movement of the mushroom head, means to move said mushroom head, and means to supply fluid pressure to said port, the arrangement being such that the mushroom head is advanced a predetermined distance before fluid pressure is admitted to said port; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM D. SMITH.

Witnesses:

Jesse B. HELLER, RAYMOND KING.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

